Roughneck - Definition and Overview

Roughneck -- slang term for an unskilled or slightly skilled labourer in a number of industries.

Originally the term was used in the travelling carnivals of 19th century America, almost interchangeably with roustabout. By the 1930s the terms had transferred to the oil drilling industry.

In the United Kingdom oil industry (1970s onwards) the term "roughneck" was specifically for the moderately skilled people who worked on the drill floor of a drilling rig, actually handling the specialised equipment for drilling, pressure control, etc. By contrast a "roustabout" did more generalised labouring work such as handling the loading and unloading of cargo from crane baskets, being assistants ("go-fer"'s, as in "go for this", "go for that", "go for the other") to the welder, mechanic, electrician or other skilled trade. Usage in America appears to have been similar, and the terms had spread to the rest of the world at least by the mid-1990s.